Right?  Yeah they do!  And I feel SO strongly about this that I have come out of Official Gaslamp Lurker Mode to discuss it.  I will preface this by saying that there really is no relevance to the Pads or even San Diego in this post.  BUT that should be about par for the course for Gaslamp, right??? Ooooh, JK, JK.  Anyways, I used to post here somewhat often.  I was kinda strange.  Probably still am.  Difference is, NOW I am a kinda strange Gaslampballer with a CAUSE!  Check it...

I (along with my team) will be participating in the 2009 Twin Cities (MN) Lung Walk for the American Lung Association.  This will be on the morning of June 7th ... We will probably be walking before some of you get out of your Callifornia beds.  All proceeds go towards funding lung cancer research, but also quite a few other lung-related issues.  Asthma education is 'my' issue..

This is an important cause for me b/c I dealt with asthma as a young child - thankfully I had the good fortune of having a pulmonologist for a father so I was able to get the treatment and medication I needed when it was necessary.  I have known what it is like to not be able to breath; ; it is a scary thing, and I can only imaginie growing up with asthma without the expertise of a lung doc in your family, so I am glad and proud to have found this opportunity to help others with the same affliction but perhaps less knowledge.  Portions of funds raised go towards Asthma Education training for families that do not have access to information and need to learn.

 Am I posting this hoping some of you click the link below and donate a small amount to our cause?  Well, yeah.  Won't pretend there are any other motives.  . Thanks for taking the time to read, for becoming aware, and if you are inclined http://www.mrsnv.com/evt/home.jsp?id=2191 is the official website of the walk, and on the front page clicking on 'Donate' will allow you to search for me (Samuel Woolery) as a walker so that my team "Whiz and Wheez' gets 'credit' for the funds raised - although that is not the most important thing.  If you're not inclined, that is okay, too!  My feelings aren't hurt.  You can also follow the walk and my team on the lovely facebook (Dex, you're my facebook friend!  Whurr you at, jbox??)  at this link:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=83317160965 

Thanks a lot, go Padres, and I will be voting early and often for LOUIS RODRIGUEZ, 2009 NL STARTING SHORTSTOP FOR THE ALL STAR GAME.

sw

Looked amazing against Buck. Beautiful pitch for the K.

Two hard hit liners from Swish and Bradley.  Dan Johnson is having an incredible at bat.

12 pitches to Johnson so far aaaand he draws ball four.  Bases loaded for Chavez.

One of those double play balls would sure be fun.

Swinging strike one to Chavez, sinking fastball down and away.  Ball one, high.  1-1 pitch popped up behind the plate, and Redmond has it.  Good shit.  Two down, and Crosby up.  Could be huge to get out of this with no runs allowed.

Groundout, Bart to Castillo.  

Way to work out of a jam in your first MLB inning, Kevin Slowey.

Bigbie was dumped from the Dodgers organization last night.  He was hitting .349 at AAA, and I'd think he's the kind of low-risk, possibly decent-reward outfielder the Twins should be looking at acquiring now that he's a free agent.  Let him play awhile in Rochester and if you like what you see let him see some of the outfield/dh time that Lew Ford has no business using.

He is by no means an offensive savior, but he could contribute.

Watched the WGN broadcast of the game this Memorial Day b/c I'm out of town (and a glutton for Hawk punishment...)

After the game, they played a highlight reel of a bunch of Torii Hunter's great catches against the White Sox through the years, with "Hit Me W Your Best Shot" in the playing in the background.  If anyone that owns more techno-smarts than I knows where I can find that clip online, I'd be very appreciative.  Thanks.  And great win today.

I'm basically the biggest Cuddy fan I know.

Still.

I'd really like to have a clip of his tumble from 2nd to 3rd last night if anyone here can provide it for me.  I was watching the game out at a bar like I do most Tuesdays b/c I live here in Missouri and I'm not certain where the best place to find it would be.  I'm no big spender, but I'm heading to the Dome in late May for a series and the bounty for said clip would bring someone a couple hotdogs and beers.  

Thanks for any and all attempts.  

So, I had some money left on a mntwins.com gift card I'd received for Christmas.  Last season I purchased one of the blue custom Twins jersey T-shirts with Cuddyer's name and number on the back... I purchased it a week before the playoffs and it arrived the day after the Cardinals won game 1 of the WS.

So.......

I just purchased, for the helluvit, the same kind of jersey that says FREE GARZA on the back with his number.

Now, my question...

Will Garza be up and in the rotation by the time the shirt actually arrives on my doorstep?  I certainly hope so, but you never know...

We're looking for a handful of guys to give us an even 20 for our fantasy league.  Live draft at 5:45 PM CT this coming Monday, deep rosters, roto scoring.  Knowledgeable folks that aren't the type to give up if the season doesn't go their way make up this league.  

If anyone is interested shoot me an email at legendarysw@hotmail.com.  We'd be glad to welcome you aboard!

cut and pasted from Rotoworld: "ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the A's and Shannon Stewart have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The contract could be worth $2.5 million if Stewart reaches incentives. The A's needed to bring in some additional competiton with Jay Payton gone. Stewart may no longer be able to play regularly because of his foot problems, but he could still be an asset at the top of the lineup playing three or four times per week. He'll battle Dan Johnson for at-bats, with Nick Swisher possibly alternating between first base and left field. The A's could also use Swisher in right and Milton Bradley in center when Mark Kotsay rests his sore back."

Decent signing. Not a great one, but it adds depth which Oakland always seems to have and Stewie will have some added incentive to play well considering he's not being handed a starting spot...

From Rotoworld.com ...

"The Twins are offering Ramon Ortiz a one-year deal worth more than $3 million, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.

Incredible. Ortiz finished with ERAs of 5.36 and 5.57 in the National League the last two years. With the way his stuff has declined, it's hard to imagine him lasting as even a fifth starter in the American League."

I have to say, if this is true and we pick up Ortiz ... well then I have no idea why we weren't in the running for John Thomson.  Ramon Ortiz is one of those guys on teams other than the Twins that I've always irrationally 'liked' despite their subpar performances (I live in MO, and watched his near no-hitter last season against the Cardinals at a bar while watching the Twins play on another TV) but he's just not capable of outpitching Garza/Baker/Perkins.  Or Ponson, most likely.  He's had ERA+ of 83 and 79 the past couple seasons.  In the National League.  Ramon Ortiz for $3 mil seems like a tremendous, unimaginative waste.  Thoughts?

I've been patient with this, mostly b/c I doubted it was going to be a regular thing.

I've heard the idea that perhaps Rondell White is a better hitter when he is playing in the field than when DHing (which is a dumb idea; I think Rondell White is a better hitter when he is healthy than when he is not, which is why he has been swinging a better stick lately).  Tyner has been having a career year at the plate, and the thing is, he's still not been very good.  It's one of the emptiest batting averages you'll find in baseball.  I wouldn't have a problem with him playing most everyday if they would let him play LF - his defense is really his best asset.  So I was a little miffed watching the game yesterday afternoon when Rabe was out in LF and Tyner was DHing again.  Why not go the other way around?  With Hunter hobbling around and Gardy insisting on keeping him in CF we need a guy like Tyner in LF...

BTW -- Not that Phil Nevin was going to be the savior or anything ... but if he's never going to play then what the hell was the point?  Only Morneau, Hunter, and Cuddy have hit more homers this season.  It'd be nice to see him play in more than six games since his acquisition.

sw

Hey guys,

I've been given permission from your fearless leader here at RR to offer you guys a pretty cool (and free!) deal:  Come try a free team out at www.simnasium.com.  It's a fantasy baseball game, where instead of drafting players that are currently striking hitters out or jacking three run homers, you draft a team of retired players - find out how George Brett would hit against Walter Johnson, or if Saberhagen would have confounded Joe DiMaggio.  It's a 9-week baseball simulation wherein your squad will play three games a day.  It's similiar to Diamond Legends or WhatIF Sports, but  the people in charge started the company with the purpose of making a game that's better.

We'll see if we can round up some enough interest to do a league of only RR guys, so you guys will have a common interest.  

If you are interested, read about the game at www.simnasium.com.  Create a login ID, and email that ID name to me at legendarysw@hotmail.com.  Once we get 12, I'll have your accounts credited with a free team credit and you'll be off and running.

---

sw

Come check out www.simnasium.com and you'll have the opportunity to see Brett, McRae, Otis, Quiz, and Patek play again.  It's not just fantasy baseball -- it's historical fantasy baseball.

It's also a fun and entertaining community, so if you're looking for a new way to quench your thirst for baseball and (understandably) can't bear to watch these current Royals everyday in 2006, see how Brett would do facing Christy Mathewson, or how the Quiz would fare against the Bambino.  Bo Jackson Vs. Carl Hubbell, Jeff Montgomery Vs Stan Musial.  

Anyways, hope this doesn't get deleted as something 'improper' ... I thought it relevant and if there's enough interest we could get a Royals Review league goin'.